Citation

Elmitiny N, Radwan E. ITE J. 2008; 78(7): 32, 37-39.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Institute of Transportation Engineers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Institute of Transportation Engineers 2008 Technical Conference and Exhibit, with the theme of "Making a Difference in Transportation Safety," provided a forum for discussion of various aspects of safety from the federal to the local level. This feature summarizes and expands on a special session that was held at the conference regarding the use, effectiveness and acceptability of red-light camera enforcement systems. Red-light camera enforcement offers potential as a cost-effective, powerful tool in reducing red-light running and associated crashes. However, studies on the effectiveness of the red-light camera system have shown mixed results, with some studies showing a reduction in red-light related crashes, while others reporting no significant improvement. Instead, most studies have shown that red-light camera systems increased rear-end crashes. Using red-light camera systems is associated with several legal and privacy concerns, including concerns about citation distribution, types of penalties, and the right of authorities to issue a ticket based on a photograph. Before implementation, the public should be educated on how the system works to ensure that the public understands that the citations are only issued after photographs are reviewed by a police officer.